JUST over 48 hours after Aveley thought they had turned a corner on a traumatic first half of the season with a win at the weekend, Millers ended up on the losing side again at Parkside on Monday evening (19 October).

Millers made one change from Saturday as Shad Ngandu started in place of Romel Aarons-Royal.

It was a disappointing Isthmian Premier result against a side who have also gone through the wringer this season and manager Alex Akrofi may be hard-pressed to lift morale for the coming weekend’s FA Trophy clash at home to Carshalton.

The opening 20 minutes at Parkside on Monday evening were instantly forgettable, but Millers eventually broke out of their shell and Gio Palmer went extraordinarily close to scoring.

His cross from the left hit the Jammers keeper Bradley Robinson, a defender, the post and found its way back into the arms of a grateful Robinson.

Kymani Thomas then went close for Millers with a shot but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 34 minutes when Jamie Bennett scored and it was a lead they took into the break.

There really wasn’t a lot between the sides and the first 20 minutes of the second half were even but Millers got back on level terms when Thomas picked the ball up in the box and rifled home for his first Millers goal.

Home supporters were confident that the goal would be a turning point, but Millers were unable to kick on and it was Maldon who had the last word, four minutes from time when Tom Eastman scored with a header from a corner.

It was hard to say it was unjust, though Millers felt they didn’t get the rub of the green with a few decisions from ref Rikki Woolford.

The Millers welcome fellow Isthmian Premier League side Carshalton Athletic in the FA Trophy First Round on Saturday.